


Welcome Home

by Breenieweenie



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Gen Fic, Not Canon Compliant, everythings made up, harry as tony's son, harry potter/avenger crossover, the avengers are all basically parents in this one, the timelines dont matter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-11
Updated: 2018-01-28
Packaged: 2018-12-26 15:49:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 15,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12062145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Breenieweenie/pseuds/Breenieweenie
Summary: Harry's always wanted someone to come take him away from the Dursley's, and now someone has. Or rather, a whole team of someone's. Drabble series, no pairings yet. Harry as Tony's son





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Everything in this story is made up. The timelines don't matter. I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter or Avengers.

_Dear Mr. Stark,_

_I'm sure you won't remember me, just another intern for the summer. Another pretty face for you to woo…._

_But I can never forget you._

_You see, a terrible impression wasn't the only thing you left with me, but a son as well._

_If you're reading this, then the danger I fear as come to pass and my son our son’s life is at stake._

_I know you there is a chance you may not trust me, a faceless woman from you past, but I beg you, please help our son, Harry._

_Sincerely,_

_Lily Potter nee Evans_

Tony stared at the letter in his hands. It had appeared on his desk, as if by magic, and he was still working out _how_. But it was the contents that disturbed him the most.

If this woman was right, he had a son.

Though many women had come forward before and claimed to have had his child - one of the side effects of being Tony Stark - all had been dismissed.

But this one…..

She had included a picture.

A small boy waved out at him. He couldn't have been more than a year or three - he was terrible with children's ages - and the boy looked eerily similar to pictures Tony had of himself at the age. Sure, their eyes were different and the shape of his mouth, not to mention none of Tony’s pictures moved, but the rest of the boy…

“JARVIS.”

“Yes sir?”

“Contact Ms. Davis. I have a new job for her.”

“Right away sir.”

Tony ran his fingertips over the baby in the picture, and the child reached out, almost as if to grab him. He could be wrong and this boy wasn't related to him at all, but he figured it wouldn't hurt to find out. Just in case.

-0-0-0-

“Sir,” JARVIS cut off the loud music in the lab. “I have a message for you.”

“Whatever it is, it can wait. I’m in the middle of something here.” Tony called back and queued up his music once again as he continued to tinker on his latest suit.

JARVIS shut the music off once more. “Sir, it’s from Ms. Davis. She’s found him. She’s waiting for you in London.”

Tony froze. It had been years since he’d received that letter, he’d almost given up hope, and now…  Tony pulled out the well-worn picture. Time and constant unfolding and refolding had created lines in the photo, but Harry’s happy face still smiled out at him. Tony knew this could be nothing, but over the years he’d begun to hope it _was_ something. There was really only one way to find out. “Ready my jet.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

For nine long years, Harry had wished for another family. _Any_ other family would do at this point. Anyone but the Dursley’s.

He supposed he'd been happy once. Maybe with his mother and father, but if he had been, it was nine long years ago. He had a feeling his parents hadn't put his crib in the cupboard under the stairs. They wouldn't have made him do all the chores by himself, and, he hoped, they wouldn't have hit him.

As he lay in his bed, looking at the underside of the stairs with his good eye, he wished. Wished for a new family to come rescue him just as he had every night since he'd known what to wish for. A large part of him told him to give up, there was no one else. Just his mom’s sister and her husband.

Another, smaller, part of him told him not to give up hope. So he wished and wished and wished. In his head he imagined his new family coming to take him away, forever, and all the fun they would have. With a smile on his face and a reminder to himself to return the peas to the freezer before anyone woke up, Harry fell asleep.

-0-0-0-

Tony stared down at his tablet. Cheryl Davis had sent him multiple pictures of the boy he was becoming more and more convinced was his son.

And the family he'd been staying with.

They weren't poor, they weren't as wealthy as him, few people were, but they were far from poor.

That's why he couldn't understand _why_ his son was so skinny he looked like a good stiff breeze could blow him over. Though, Tony supposed some of that might be from the way his clothes hung off of him. They were obviously cast off from his…. _cousin._

“Are you sure they're family?” he asked Ms. Davis, his eyes still glued to the image of his, hopefully, son.

She nodded once. “The woman is his late mother’s sister. They seem to have a _preference_ for their biological son.”

He could see from the way her lips were pursed and nostrils flared, that she was angry. Angrier than he'd ever seen her.

He didn't blame her, he was angry too. So angry, that he wasn't sure he cared if this child _was_ his anymore. The boy would be coming home with him. He tapped the screen and it went blank. “Thank you for this Ms. Davis, and for never giving up the search.”

“Of course Mr. Stark. I'm just happy I was finally able to find him,” she paused and inhaled through her nose, “What will you do now?”

He stood and gathered his tablet under his arm, “First, I'm going back to the hotel to pick up Brucey. Then, I'm going to collect my son.”

She nodded again, a small smile played about the corners of her lips, “Very good, sir.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I don't see why I needed to come with you.” Bruce said as he watched the cookie cutter houses pass by. They were in the type of neighborhood he would call _nice_ , but also made him think of neighbors that competed in things like ‘Best Lawn Competitions’.

Tony turned the wheel and expertly parked in front of one of the houses. A small golden number four hung next to the door. It was the only thing separating it from houses three and five on either side. “I told you, I need you to do the paternity test.”

Bruce looked over at Tony, “You don't really _need_ me for that. You can take a cheek swab as easily as I can.”

“Then it's just because I love you.” Tony said absently, his focus solely on the house in front of them.

“Tony,” Bruce called gently, pulling Tony’s attention back to him, “What is it really?”

Tony sighed, “What if they won't let me take him? You saw what Davis found. Or! Or! What if he doesn't want to come with me? He doesn't even _know_ me!” Tony threw his hands up in the air and brought them down hard on the steering wheel, shortly followed by his forehead. After a few second of deep breathing he turned his head just enough to look at Bruce, “I suppose you're really here for moral support in case it all goes to hell.”

Bruce put his hand on Tony's back and patted a few times. “I'm sure it will all go well, and if it all _does_ go to hell, we’ll deal with it then.”

Tony sat up straight and drummed his hands on the wheel. “Right. Right. You're right. Who doesn't want to live with me? Let's go.” He opened the door, hopped out, and was halfway up the steps while Bruce was still unfolding himself from the seat.

By the time Bruce had caught up with him, he was already knocking on the door.

-0-0-0-

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon when someone knocked at the door. Harry was helping Aunt Petunia with her weekly kitchen deep clean. Vernon and Dudley were watching the television in the other room.

The person knocked again.

“Get the door, boy!” His aunt snapped. Harry stood from where he was scrubbing between the tiles with an old toothbrush and made to remove his gloves, “Don't bother!” she snapped again, “We aren't done in here.”

However, as he walked out, she removed her apron and smoothed her dress. “Are you expecting company Vernon dear?” Harry heard her ask as he made his way down the hall. He didn't hear Uncle Vernon’s reply, because the person, or people - he could see two shadows - knocked once more. Three times in rapid succession, the sound one of impatience.

“Sorry,” Harry said as he pulled open the door, “I came as soon-” he stopped. The man in front of him was looking down at him over the rims of an overlarge pair of sunglasses, and he was smiling at Harry as if he was actually happy to see him.

The man looked him over and his smile faltered a bit at the sight of the fading bruise on cheek, the rubber gloves, worn down pants, and taped together trainers. Then just as quickly it became brighter than before. “You must be Harry.”

  



	4. Chapter 4

It was almost funny.

The Dursleys had sat themselves on one couch and the three were wedged in so tight, Harry wondered if they'd bring the couch with them when they went to stand. Harry and the man who had introduced himself as Dr. Banner we're sitting across from them on the other couch. Tony - he had refused to give a last name - had joined them briefly before jumping up and striding to the front of the room where he began to pace.

Harry knew the main reason they hadn't kicked these men out of the house had to do with the really nice car out front and the fact that one of them was a doctor. Tony stopped pacing as suddenly as he started and he looked between the Dursleys and Harry a few times before his gaze settled on the Dursleys.

His hand came up and he waved it just in front of his neck while looking at Aunt Petunia. “Is that a condition?” she gasped and covered her long neck with one hand, “No? Oh, well, anyways.” He spun out so he was standing in front of them all, arms wide, “I'm here for a paternity test.”

“Bullshite.” Vernon tried to stand, but gave up quickly as he was wedged in by Dudley. “Dudley is _my_ son, my wife would never sleep with a man like you.”

“Gods no.” Tony shuddered overdramatically and Harry heard Dr. Banner sigh softly in exasperation “No, the test is for him.” He held a hand out toward Harry, his hundred watt smile back in place.

Harry’s mouth fell open and the Dursleys gasped, followed by a long shrieking intake of air from Aunt Petunia. She turned and snarled at Harry.

“I should have known! It's just like my whore of a sister! You're not even _his_ brat, just some by-blow-”

“That's enough.” The command was spoken softly, but everyone in the room went still. Her tirade was cut off, not by Tony, who was standing stock still, but by Dr. Banner who had moved to her side. Harry hadn't even seen him move, he had been so absorbed in the look of absolute disgust that twisted his aunt's face.

Dr. Banner turned slowly to look at Harry, “Do you want to come with us, Harry?”

Harry swallowed thickly. He wasn't an idiot, he knew what a paternity test was and what it implied, even without his aunt spelling it out for him. His head was spinning, when he had wished for family to come take him away, he hadn't pictured something like this. They were all looking at him, waiting for an answer, he said the first thing that came to his mind, “You haven't even done the test.” his quiet voice seemed loud in the still room.

“It doesn't matter, Harry.” Tony assured him, “You can still come with us. We'd really like you to.”

Harry blinked, confused about why someone would want him if they weren't related. Then again, he _was_ related to the Dursleys and they _didn't_ want him so…. _oh._ He looked up at Tony, “Do you need help?”

Tony and Dr. Banner exchanged a look. Harry noticed Dr. Banner had placed himself between Harry and the Dursleys, excluding them from the conversation. Tony tilted his head and asked, “Help?”

Harry nodded, eagerly now. Maybe he could still go with these men and get away from the Dursleys. “Around the house. I can clean and I'm pretty good at cooking, even though I burn the bacon sometimes and Aunt Petunia gets mad. The burnt pieces still taste okay. And I can help in the garden-”

“Do you enjoy doing those things Harry?” Dr. Banner asked.

Harry turned toward him and noticed he had crossed his arms, “No-” he stopped himself, “I mean, I don't mind. It’s-”

“Just take him.” Uncle Vernon grunted, “Take him and get him out of our hair. Ungrateful welp.” His beady eyes fixed on Harry, “I knew we should have dumped you at the orphanage.”

“Dr. Banner, please collect the DNA sample,” Tony's voice was strained, “Harry, no matter what the test says, I'd like you to come home with me, if you want too.”

Harry nodded and Tony seemed to relax a bit. “How do I do the test?” he asked.

Dr. Banner answered him, “I just need you to open your mouth, I'll take this,” he held up something that looked like a long cotton swab, “and rub it on the inside of your cheek. Then we'll stick it in my machine* here and get our answer.” He moved over to the bag he'd set down near the couch.

Harry opened his mouth and wrinkled his nose at the smell of latex from Dr. Banner's gloves.

“All done.” Dr. Banner told him as he inserted the swab into an interesting looking machine.

“Why don't we gather your things Harry, do you have a bag?” Harry nodded, “Great, we'll get the things you want to take and be on our way. I'll help you pack, lead the way.” Tony finished.

Harry stood on trembling legs. This was it. He honestly wasn't sure he wasn't dreaming. The roiling in his gut and his racing heart made it all seem real, but….  Dr. Banner looked up and gave him an encouraging smile. Harry smiled back, only slightly hesitant, and led Tony - _who might be his real father!_ \- out to the hall. Tony started toward the stairs, but Harry shook his head and led him to the cupboard door under the stairs.

He paused, suddenly embarrassed. His room wasn't much, nor was it really a room. And he hadn't made his bed that morning. Would Tony think worse of him when he saw it?

“Is your bag in there?” Tony asked.

Harry nodded, not trusting his voice. He closed his eyes. Took a deep breath, and opened the door.

Behind him, he felt Tony freeze. _What was he seeing?_ Harry wondered, _the untidy bed, the spider that sometimes tickled his nose while he slept?_ Harry turned to look at Tony. His eyes were dark and Harry wondered if he was still breathing, he was so still. “I know it's not much, and I forgot to clean, but I swear I'm not-”

Tony turned back to the sitting room, cutting him off, “Not only did you physically harm him, you made him sleep in a _cupboard_?!” Tony's voice was terrible and Harry shivered. Even if it _was_ in defense of him, he hoped the man _never_ talked to him with that awful cold voice. Ever.

Bruce made his way over to them and immediately grabbed Tony by the arm. He had seen his friend reaching for the bracelet that was actually an Iron Man gauntlet in disguise.

“Tony, no!” he whispered harshly and held Tony back even as he felt his own anger, ever simmering, start to boil. “Not like this. We still need to get Harry out of here.” He leaned in closer so only the two of them could hear, “There will be plenty of time to destroy them later.”

Their eyes met and held.

Finally, Tony nodded and smiled widely down at Harry. “Well, grab what you want and we’ll be on our way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *there is actually a portable machine that does this called the RapidHIT. It's takes about 90 minutes and anyone can do it. But, since this is fiction and between Dr. Cho, Tony, and Bruce, I think they can come up with something similar and cooler using Stark tech, I left it out. Just know that it's totally possible. 
> 
> A/N  
> Thank you so so much to everyone that has read this story. A bit of a longer chapter, though, to be honest, you’re probably not going to see the reaction you’re expecting just yet.   
> This takes place after Iron Man 3, but before Age of Ultron. Still, some of the timelines will get a bit tangled because this is mostly fun and not a ton of heavy plot.   
> A special thank you to siriuslyorionwicked and breenieweenie for reading over everything, helping with ideas, and generally cheering me on.


	5. Chapter 5

Tony kept the smile on his face until Harry turned away from him to pack. He looked back over his shoulder to see Bruce packing up the machine. When he noticed Tony looking at him, he gave a subtle nod. 

Tony felt his heart swell unexpectedly, Harry _was_ his son. That revelation filled him with wonder swiftly followed by icy hatred for the people who had treated his son this way. He wanted to blast them right out of the house, he wanted to take everything they had, but mostly he wanted to get Harry out of there. 

“I'm done.” Harry's voice wavered a bit so Tony made sure to smile warmly at him. 

“I can take that for you.” He held out his hand for the overstuffed bag, the sleeve of one shirt had escaped and was hanging. Harry shook his head and clutched the bag tighter to his chest. “Alrighty then.” He turned back once again. Bruce was already standing next to him, ready to go. The adult Dursleys were standing as well, their son had turned on the TV and was no longer paying attention.

“Before we go,” he grabbed the papers Bruce had left on the side table, “I just need you to sign these.” 

“What are they?” Vernon asked as Petunia eyed the papers. 

“Oh, the usual. I now have total custody of Harry, you won't try to contact him again. Ever. You completely agree that I'm his legal guardian; that stuff.” He held out a pen. 

Vernon and Petunia exchanged a look before Petunia took the pen and signed. 

“Normally I'd say it was a pleasure to meet you, but it wasn't.” Tony folded the papers and stuck them in his pocket. He went to put his arm around Harry, but the boy looked unsure, so he put his arm back down. “You two ready to go?” He clapped his hands and gestured toward the door. Bruce went first, then Harry, and he followed. 

They were halfway down the front path when Vernon and Petunia came out. “Good riddance.” Vernon said, “I don't want to see him, or either of you again, you hear me!” He blustered and shook his fist. 

Harry stiffened in front of him and Tony placed a comforting hand on Harry’s shoulder. 

“Oh, don't worry, you'll _never_ see Harry here, again. However, I can assure you, you _will_ be seeing me again.” He winked and grinned sharply at them. Petunia paled and Vernon turned a shade of purple Tony wasn't particularly sure was healthy, but he also didn't particularly care. 

He held open the back door of the car for Harry. The boy hesitated and looked back at the house. 

“You don't have to come with us you know.” Tony said quietly. “I'm sure if you really wanted to you could- well- we could make other arrangements.” He couldn't honestly tell Harry he could go back. Not only was he sure his aunt and uncle wouldn't let him back at that point, but he _couldn't_ let Harry go back to them. 

“No.” Harry said softly and looked up at him with bright green eyes, “I want to come with you.” 

Tony smiled, not trusting himself to speak. They all got into the car and Tony pull out his phone, “JARVIS?” 

“Yes sir?” 

“Have the jet ready to fly in -” he paused and looked at Harry and Bruce, “are you hungry?” Bruce nodded and Harry shrugged, “JARVIS have it ready in three hours.” 

“Yes sir.” 

“Where are we going?” Harry asked from the backseat as they pulled away. 

“Home, Harry. We're going home.” 


	6. Chapter 6

Harry smiled at Tony’s words and wondered what sort of house a man like Tony would have. Hopefully something not like Privet Drive. Though, he supposed, even if _was_ similar to the Dursley’s house, it would still be okay. Dr. Banner and Tony talked softly up front and the music was some rock he hadn't heard before and he didn't mean to, but soon Harry was lulled to sleep.

Bruce glanced back to see Harry asleep, his head leaning against the window. He smiled, then frowned just as quickly, “You might want to put in a call to Dr. Cho. I think she's still in town.”

Tony bit his lip and looked at Harry in the mirror. “How bad do you think it is?”

Bruce shook his head, “I'm not sure. I'm not that sort of doctor.” They shared a smile at the joke, “You've got all the other papers in order?”

“Ah….”

“You forgot them?”

“No, not exactly. I've had them ready for ages.” Tony drummed his fingers against the steering wheel.

“Did you lose them?” Bruce said, hiding a smile behind his hand.

“Of course not. I know exactly where they are,” he paused, “on my desk.”

“Why don't you have Pepper scan them? I'm sure we can figure it out from there.”

“I knew it was smart to bring you. I'm brilliant.”

Bruce snorted and watched the scenery fly by.

-0-0-0-

“Harry, Harry, wake up.”

Harry mumbled and shook his head to clear it. Flashes of his dreams swam behind his eyes, “ ‘M up. ‘M up.”

He blinked, trying to clear his eyes, it was bright, nothing at all like waking up in his dark cupboard… “Tony?”

Tony moved away so Harry could step out of the car. “Hey kiddo. You ready to eat?”

“Where are we?” Harry looked at his bag, it had fallen on the floor. Part of him wanted to grab it,  but he knew it would be silly to bring it in with him.

“At a…” Tony looked over his shoulder, “A pub. We're in London, a pub seemed appropriate.”

Harry shook his head, not really sure what to say, and got out of the car. After they had been seated and ordered, he began doodling on the kids menu the waiter had left behind, trying to distract himself from thinking too hard over everything that had happened.

“You alright Harry?” Tony asked him.

Harry didn't look up when he answered, “Oh, yeah, totally fine. Just a few hours ago I was scrubbing the kitchen floor with my aunt and now I'm sitting in a fancy pub with two men I barely know, but one might be my father. I'm great.”

Bruce snorted and inhaled a bit of his drink. “He is definitely your son, Tony.”

Harry did look up then, “So the test was positive?”

Tony nodded, “But don't feel like you have to call me dad or anything, if it makes you uncomfortable.”

Harry looked back at his paper and colored in the tree he had been drawing. It took up most of the paper, its roots stretched all the way to the bottom edge. “I've never called anyone dad before.”

Tony opened his mouth and closed it again, unsure what to say or _how_ to say any of the thoughts running through his head. They were all saved from the suddenly intense moment when their food arrived.


	7. Chapter 7

Harry shifted in his seat. It wasn't that it was uncomfortable, the seat was even _more_ comfortable than the back seat of the car he'd just been in. It was that he'd never been in a seat this comfortable on an _airplane._

“Nervous?” Dr. Banner asked him from across the aisle. They were facing each other with enough room for a third row of seats between them.

Harry thought about denying it, but changed his mind. “I've never been on a plane before.”

Dr. Banner smiled knowingly, “If you'd like I have some Dramamine, or I'm sure we could get some chamomile tea?”

“What's Dramamine?” Harry asked, clutching the arms of the seat as the plane began to move.

“It's for motion sickness. Might help you sleep too.”

Harry shook his head, the plane picked up speed. “I don't get motion sick. Maybe the tea?”

“Try apple juice.” Tony said as he joined them, “My mom always gave it to me when we'd fly.”

“That sounds good.” Harry agreed. The plane was definitely going faster now and began to ascend. The force pressed Harry back into his seat and he felt a thrill go through him.

When they leveled out, Tony got up and returned with the glass of apple juice.

“Aren't there usually people who do that?” Harry asked and sipped his juice.

“Uh, usually, yes. But I don't currently have any staff, other than the pilot.”

Harry nodded, not that he really knew. Things were obviously different on private planes. He took another sip and lifted the screen on the window, “Whoa….”

Tony was looking out the window too, “I never get tired of this view.”

Harry nodded, his eyes glued to the window. They were above the clouds, and as far as Harry could see, everything was white. The clouds looked soft and puffy and he clenched his hand, wishing he could touch one.

“They look all warm and soft, but trust me, they're just cold and wet.” Tony said.

Harry grinned, “I might not know everything, but I do know what clouds are made of. I even got decent marks in school.”

Tony looked slightly horrified and Dr. Banner took a large swallow of water.

“I didn't- I wasn't implying- shit.”

“Tony.” Bruce admonished, he turned to Harry, “He didn't mean to imply you didn't know what clouds were. Speaking of school-” Harry groaned. “You don’t like school?”

“It's not that I don't like _learning_ exactly. My teachers just never really seemed interested in teaching me.”

“We can figure all that out after we get you settled.” Tony said.

Harry smiled hesitantly as another thrill went through his stomach. He was hit with the sudden realization that nothing would ever be the same again.

-0-0-0-

It was dark when they landed, but out on the streets, he could hardly tell. There were so many lights, Harry couldn't see the stars when he craned his neck to look out the window.

“Tomorrow, Harry, I’d like to take you shopping.” Tony said around a bite of his cheese burger. “Brucey, love, would you like to come with us?”

Harry giggled. Tony had relaxed once they landed in the city and met his driver, Happy.

From the front seat Dr. Banner sighed, “If Harry wants me to come along, I'd be happy to.”

“What are we shopping for?” Harry asked.

“Clothes, stuff for your room, other stuff you might need.” Tony waved a hand, “We can figure it all out tomorrow.”

“I don't need you to buy me things. I have stuff.” Harry said, slightly defensive. Sure, it wasn't _great_ stuff, but even though Tony was his father, he didn't want him to feel like he _had_ to buy Harry things.

“I know kiddo, but I'd really like to.” His face was open and sincere.

Harry bit his lip and relented, “Okay. I'd like that. It _would_ be nice to have some clothes that fit.”

Harry looked back out the window and didn't notice the look Happy and Tony exchanged.

 _You know, he_ is _your dad. You might as well call him that._ The backs of his eyes stung as tears tried to form, he wasn't sad. Not exactly. Just overwhelmed. It had been such a long day, he was beginning to question which way was up. A tower with an A on the side emerged from the skyline and steadily became larger. He was half asleep when they pulled into the garage under the very tower he had been admiring. Tony held the door open and he scooted out. The overwhelming feeling became stronger, but a large part of it felt warm and welcoming, they piled into the elevator and it closed silently behind them.

 _So this is home_.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry's feet were literally dragging as they made their way to the very top floor of the huge tower. As they entered the living room he couldn't even fully appreciate the large television, the wall of windows, or anything else in the room. His gaze was focused solely on the closest cozy looking couch. So focused in fact, that he missed the woman sitting on the other one.

“Ms. Romanoff!” Tony cried loudly from behind him and he couldn't quite stop the flinch. The woman, who had been looking at Tony, turned her focus on him. “You're home! Did Agent or Fury send you? I keep telling them I don't need a babysitter.” he continued and Harry caught a small smile on her face.

“Hey Stark.” She lounged further into the couch. “How could I stay away when you've made up a whole floor for me? And no, no babysitting, I'm on a personal vacation.” Casually, she gestured at Harry - who was trying not to fall asleep where he stood. “Who's this?”

“Romanoff, Harry. Harry, this is Natasha Romanoff.” she inclined her head and Harry gave her a small wave and a sleepy smile then yawned loudly. “Ah, crap. I'm already blowing this parenting thing, you're dead on your feet. You stay there, we’ll talk in a minute.” He directed at Ms. Romanoff, then, “JARVIS, contact Bruce, ask him to join Ms. Romanoff and I up here.” He gently placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and steered him toward the bedrooms, “Come on kiddo, lets get you to your room.”

Harry let himself be led down one hall, then turned down one more. They stopped in front of an unassuming door, behind him, Tony seemed nervous, shifting from one foot to the other. Without saying anything, Tony moved and pushed open the door.

Harry couldn't think of anything to say at first. Off to the right sat a large bed, so large, Harry suspected he could lay on it sideways and _still_ not come close to touching the edges. There was a canopy over the bed, with curtains tied to the posts. He moved slowly into the room, his feet shuffling across the thick carpet. He felt like he was moving through a dream. A glorious dream he didn't want to wake up from. Even though he was more than ready to lay down, he moved to the left, entranced by the floor to ceiling windows.

“I have a window.” His voice was small and tired and full of awe and Tony simultaneously wanted to cry and fly back to the Dursley’s in his new suit and blow out each of their windows.

He swallowed around the lump in his throat, “Yeah,” his voice came out slightly strangled. He cleared his throat and tried again, “and one of the best views in the city, if I do say so myself.”

“Sir, I'm sorry to interrupt, but Dr. Banner has just arrived.” JARVIS said.

“Ah, right. Okay, you get some sleep Harry, we’ve got a busy day tomorrow.” He moved awkwardly toward Harry, unsure if he should give him a hug or...what to do really. After a moment of indecision, he put his hand on Harry’s shoulder again then pulled him into a one armed hug. Harry held himself stiffly, so Tony let go. “I'm glad you're here, Harry.”

He was almost to the door when Harry spoke, “Me too,” he paused and Tony waited, feeling the weight of the moment settle on him, “dad.”

Tony didn't even try to hide his smile.

-0-0-0-

“What are you smiling about?” Natasha asked him as he joined them.

Tony flopped down into an arm chair, tossing his legs over the side. “He called me dad.”

Bruce looked surprised, “That was fast.”

Tony’s smile fell slightly, “You don't think he said it because he thinks he _needs_ to call me dad to stay here, do you?”

“Wait, back up,” Natasha said, “why would he call you dad?”

“He's Tony's son.” Bruce offered, but didn't elaborate, to Tony he said, “Maybe after his appointment with Dr. Cho tomorrow, we can look into getting him a therapist?”

“Tony has a son?”

“Do you think he'd even talk to one? I know I wouldn't have at that age.”

“Yes, well, from what I've heard you were a bit of a terror at that age. I think it's worth a shot though. We can consult with Dr. Cho-”

“Is no one going to explain how Tony suddenly has a son?”

“- and see what she has to say.”

Tony nodded along, “Alright, that's a solid plan. In the meantime I'll assure him he doesn't need to _do_ anything to stay here.”

“Stark, Banner, one of you need to tell me what's going on.” Natasha said calmly, but inside her stomach was spinning. Tony Stark had a son.

Across from her Tony took a deep breath and stood. “You two want a drink?” He asked. As he passed them, he dropped a tablet he’d taken from the side table in Natasha’s lap, “Most of the information you want is on there. As to the _how_ , I'm more than happy to talk to you about the birds and the bees Romanoff.”

She quirked an eyebrow and he smirked from his spot behind the bar. She rolled her eyes and looked over the file currently on display

He had already poured his drink and one for Bruce when she spoke again, “I think I'll take one of those too.”

“Paints a pretty picture, doesn't it?” Tony asked as he handed her the drink. He sat back down, not as relaxed as before.

She tossed back the drink and hummed deep in her throat before answering, “I really only paint in red. Can I borrow this?” She asked and stood.

“Sure. Join us for breakfast tomorrow?” Tony asked her as she moved toward the elevator.

“I'll be here.” She agreed, looking back down at the tablet.

Bruce waited until the elevator door was closed before asking Tony, “Are you worried?”

“Hmm? About Harry? Yes and no. I want him to be happy. I know I've only known him for a short time, but I'd do anything to make him happy.”

Bruce smiled and shook his head, “Don't avoid the question.”

Tony looked at the elevator where Nat had disappeared, then toward the hallway where Harry was hopefully sleeping. “Even if I said something to Nat, she'll do what she thinks she needs to. She always has.” He stared into the remnants of amber liquid in his glass, “Besides, there's only so much I can personally do. Tends to give the company a bad name.”

“Not to mention Iron Man.”

“Technically I’m not Iron Man anymore.” Tony drained the rest of his glass. “I'm going to try and sleep, see you in the morning?”

Bruce nodded, “See you in the morning.” As the elevator doors closed, he watched Tony stare into the now empty glass and wondered what was going through his friend’s head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry on mobile this week. I will try to come back and fix formatting mistakes as soon as I can.

“Captain!” Tony called out, warmly greeting Captain Rogers. “I should have known if Romanoff was here, you would be too. Does that mean Barton is nesting somewhere nearby?”

“Stark.” Steve raised his coffee mug in greeting, “I hope you don't mind me joining you for breakfast.”

Tony moved to the half full coffee pot and poured himself a cup, “Not at all, as long as you're cooking.”

Steve gave him a crooked grin, “Give me a campfire and a few cans of beans and I can whip us up something.”

“Say no.” Natasha said as she walked in, “He says he can cook over a fire, but it's a lie.”

“Is not.” Steve replied, slightly offended.

“Well, it's definitely not gourmet. I'll cook. Pancakes and eggs alright with everyone?”

They both nodded in agreement, happy to sit and wait.

-0-0-0-

Harry woke, but kept his eyes squeezed shut. “It was a dream. A crazy wonderful dream. In a few seconds, Aunt Petunia will knock on the door to wake me up.”

“Good morning Mr. Potter. Your father is expecting you for breakfast.”

A male voice spoke and Harry's eyes snapped open. “Who's there?” he scrunched his face up at the bright light coming from all the windows across from him. It wasn't a dream… “JARVIS?”

“Yes, Mr. Potter?”

“Wow….” Harry breathed out and bounced out of bed, excitement overwhelming him. He rummaged through his bag and pulled out his nicest shirt (3 times too big, but not stained) and the pants with the least worn out hems. He tried to find some socks, but they all had holes, so he went barefoot. He hoped To- his dad liked toast and bacon and eggs. It was the best breakfast he could make. He hesitated at the door, but not for too long, he wanted to make a good first impression, and from the looks of things he was already late in getting breakfast started.

When he walked into the kitchen and dining room area he stopped abruptly. His dad was at the table with Dr. Banner and the woman from the night before and one other man who seemed to take up most of the room, even though he was sitting. They had all turned to look at him and to avoid their gaze he looked at the table. He frowned, someone else had made breakfast. Would they still let him sit and eat if he hadn't done his part?

“Harry! There you are. I was beginning to wonder if I should wake you up, but Bruce said to let you sleep.” His dad said and walked toward him.

Harry licked his lips, “I’m sorry,” he said, “I'll make sure I wake up earlier so I can make breakfast tomorrow.”

Tony finished walking over to him and put his hands on Harry’s shoulders, “Did you want to make breakfast kiddo? You were pretty tired, but if you wanted to, maybe you and I could try our hand at waffles tomorrow? But this morning Nat was nice enough to make eggs and pancakes. You hungry? We saved you a stack.”

Everything came out in a rush and Tony took a steadying breath, already wondering if he'd messed things up.

Harry looked up at him, confusion written all over his face, “I can have some? Even though I didn't cook or anything?”

Behind him, Tony missed the looks Steve, Bruce, and Natasha exchanged.

“Of course, kiddo.” His smile felt a bit forced now. “Come on, they're getting cold.” He steered Harry toward the table, “You remember Natasha and Bruce, and this old man here is Captain Steve Rogers.”

“Just Steve is fine.” He said and slid the full plate in front of the empty spot next to him.

Harry smiled a bit nervously and sat. Tony sat across from him and sipped at his coffee.

“Do you want any juice, маленький?”*  
Natasha asked and stood gracefully.

Harry swallowed the large bite of pancake in his mouth. They were warm and fluffy and buttery and delicious. “Um, yes please.”

“Orange okay? Or there’s cranberry.”

“Orange is good.” She set the cup in front of him and sat once again, taking a bite of her own pancakes. “Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” She said with a smile.

Conversation swelled around them and Harry slowly relaxed, happy to just be part of their morning.

When Harry was almost done, his dad turned to him, “Right, so, Harry, are you ready for our big day? You've got an appointment in,” Tony paused and looked at his watch, “half an hour. Then we're going shopping.”

Harry tilted his head, “An appointment?” He asked around another bite.

“With Dr. Cho.” Bruce added, “Just a general check up sort of thing.”

Harry nodded, “I know my cousin looked like a pig, but I swear he didn't give me rabies or anything.”

Steve inhaled his coffee on a laugh and Natasha’s eyes widened before she laughed too. Bruce was grinning and shaking his head and his dad was looking at him a bit oddly, but smiling all the same.

“Do you all live here?” Harry looked from his dad, to Bruce and Natasha, looking at Steve last. He thought he remembered his dad saying something about her coming home.

“When they aren’t off living somewhere else they do.” His dad supplied.

“I didn’t notice that many rooms, though this, erm, house, seems plenty big enough. And what’s the A stand for?” Harry continued. He worked his way though the pancakes and eggs on his plate. As he drained the rest of the juice in his glass, Natasha returned with more pancakes and set them on his plate.

“The A stands for Avengers.” Steve told him.

“Though it was originally the A in Stark. Before Loki.” His dad said.

“We don’t all live in the penthouse with you and your dad Harry. The rest of us have our own apartments here in the tower.” Bruce finished.

“The Avengers?”

“You know, Earth’s heroes. Iron Man, Captain America…” Tony trailed off when Harry continued to look confused - suddenly remembering the lack of reaction his son had had to finding out his dad was Tony Stark. Though, he supposed there was the possibility that Harry hadn’t made the connection between himself and Iron Man.

“Haven’t seen us on TV before?” Steve asked him with a smile.

“Not- not really.” Harry poked at the last few pieces of his pancake, pushing them around in the syrup. “I wasn’t allowed to watch the telly.” Harry paused, “But sometimes when the Dursleys were out, I’d sneak in and watch some shows on my cousin’s television.”

Steve smiled and ruffled Harry’s already messy hair and Tony cleared his throat. “Well, anytime you want to- shit!

_“Tony…”_

“I mean shoot. We’ve gotta go.”

 

 *So this is supposed to mean "Little one" ( I think.) To be honest, I used Google. So special thanks to Fox_Scriber for the correction!!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N
> 
> You all are amazing. I don’t tell you often enough, but you are. Thank you for, well, everything. 
> 
> A couple notes: 
> 
>  
> 
> •I’m not a doctor, we should all accept this and know I BS’d my way through stuff as best I could.   
> • Things are moving around in life so updates might not be every week, though I will try. I have the next couple chapters written, so… we’ll see what happens.

Harry sat on the leather table and swung his feet back and forth, waiting for Dr. Cho to finish talking to his dad. He’d been to a doctor before, for shots and once for a broken arm. But this one was different. Usually, the doctor didn’t have an office set up a few floors down from where you were living. And they usually had that awful stiff paper covering the tables that crinkled loudly anytime you moved. Not to mention the rooms always seemed as cold as the doctor’s hands.

When Dr. Cho had introduced herself and shaken his hand, it had been warm. Just like the room. Her stethoscope had been cool when it touched his chest, but not unusually so. And when she’d asked about previous injuries, he’d told her cautiously. Yes, he’d broken his arm once. He’d fallen down the stairs at his old house. No, it was an accident, he tripped (he made sure to keep his voice flat and face neutral). No, it didn’t hurt anymore, no, not even when she pressed on it.

When she noticed the tape on the bridge of his glasses, she asked if they’d broken when he tripped down the stairs.

No, that was something else. A swing at a nearby park hit him in the face. He’d broken his glasses, but thankfully not his nose. A year before the broken arm. No, he hadn’t been back to the eye doctor since he’d gotten his glasses, glasses were expensive.

She’d taken his height and weight and not commented on it. Harry knew he was smaller than other kids, but he’d always been smaller than other kids his age, he just seemed to grow that way. When she’d taken a couple blood samples, he was amazed that he could barely feel the needle. Then she’d smiled at him, asked if he minded waiting while she talked to his dad, and stepped out of the room.

Harry glanced at the closed door and sighed, wishing he’d brought a book to read or something to do while he waited. With nothing else to do, he thought about his dad telling him he didn’t _have_ to call him ‘dad’ and the look on his face when Harry had said he’d wanted to. Right after, and so quickly Harry almost didn’t under him, his dad had started to say something about maybe changing his name _‘if you wanted to Harry”_ but they’d reached his appointment and he’d had to go.

He’d been Harry Potter for ten years now, changing his name would be...different.

“Harry Stark.” He whispered the words to the quiet room. It didn’t sound bad. He wasn’t sure it sounded like _his_ name, but it was a good name. “Harry Potter.”

He sighed, not sure what the right answer was.

-0-0-0-

Tony’s leg bounced as he waited for Dr. Cho to be done. He’d asked Harry if he wanted him to come in the room, but Harry had shook his head no. So Tony waited. Not something he was particularly proficient in doing. He’d only been waiting a few minutes when Clint sauntered down the hall.

“I was wondering when you’d show up, bird boy.”

“And I was wondering why you didn’t tell us you had a son.” Clint replied and sat down across from Tony.

Tony shrugged, “I wasn’t really sure until yesterday. Or was it the day before?” He ran a hand down his face, “They’ve blurred recently.”

“Not surprising. Did you even sleep last night?” Natasha asked him as she walked up with Bruce, Steve trailed close behind. Tony hid a smile behind his hand, they may have slightly staggered their appearances, but he was sure they’d all agreed to come.

“Maybe a couple hours.” He looked at the closed door Harry had disappeared behind then back at them. “I suppose Nat showed you the file?”

Steve and Clint nodded. They all settled into silence, each waiting in their own way.

“Mr. Stark?” Dr. Cho walked out and closed the door softly behind her and looked at the gathered group, “Did you want to speak in private or…?”

“This is fine. What’s the prognosis doc?” He tried to cover his worry by keeping his tone light. From the look Natasha gave him, he wasn’t sure he’d succeeded.

 

“He’s underweight for his age, even factoring in his height. In my opinion, it’s from malnourishment. He’s obviously been eating something, but not getting all the nutrients a growing child needs. He mentioned a broken arm, and we talked about his broken glasses,” she hesitated and Tony nodded at her to continue, “his explanations for them aren’t out of the ordinary, but,” she took a deep breath, “I also suspect he’s not being truthful. They sound like rehearsed explanations and- and makes me suspect he was abused. However, without your permission to get his medical records-”

“You have my permission, I’ll sign whatever you need.” Tony interrupted her. Everyone had frozen at her words.

“Very good, I’ll send the request and have his information transferred.”

-0-0-0-

Harry stared at the different cars as they passed. Happy was driving again with Bruce in front and his dad in back. Happy was gliding through traffic as if the other cars were standing still. Suddenly, a motorcycle roared passed them.

“I love motorcycles.” His dad said.

“I’ve had a dream about a motorcycle before.” Harry turned from watching cars to watching his dad.

“Oh yeah?”

The warm feeling that had started growing in Harry’s chest the day before swelled. There was nothing but sincere interest on his dad's face.

“Yeah! It was flying! There may have been a giant.” Harry told him, excited to share. He knew if he’d ever mentioned the dream to the- he stopped that train of thought.

“Flying? Really…” Tony rubbed his chin. “You know...JARVIS?” He spoke into his cell phone. “Remind me to look into flying motorcycles later.”

“Yes, Sir.” JARVIS replied.

“You’re going to invent a flying motorcycle, because of a dream I had?” Harry asked. The feeling of _too much_ overwhelmed Harry again.

“Sure. We can do it together. Unless you don’t want too, I guess I’m not sure if you’re into-”Harry leaned over and threw his arms around him, cutting him off.

Tony was startled by the sudden action, but quickly recovered and wrapped Harry up in a hug. Tony thought of a million things he wanted to say and promises he wanted to make. They all tried to come out at once and stuck in his throat.

**_ding!_ **

The small sound reminded them both of where they were. It only took Tony a second to realize they had stopped and another to see that Happy was staring straight ahead with a small smile on his face. Bruce was looking down at his phone.

“Dr. Cho wants me to come back. She wants me to look at something.” He turned to look back at them. “Sorry Harry, don’t let your dad go too crazy, alright?”

Harry nodded, not really sure how he would accomplish that. “Will I see you later?”

Bruce smiled, “I’ll be there when you get home.”

-0-0-0-

“I’ve never seen anything like it.” Dr. Cho said from beside him, “I was hoping, with all the work you’ve done…”

Bruce stared at the screen where Harry’s blood sample was displayed. Mostly, it was normal. Red blood cells, platelets, plasma...but between all those things were golden _sparks_. Bruce wasn’t really sure what else to call them. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them again, Dr. Cho was looking at him expectantly.

He sighed, “I have no idea.”

 


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N 
> 
> I’m addressing some concerns /questions I received in reviews on the last chapter. 
> 
> In GoF, Voldemort wanted Harry’s blood when he was being reborn. With the spell, he could have used almost ANY wizard or witch, as long as they were an enemy, but he wanted Harry. Why? So he could touch him. Because the protection Harry had from his mother was in his blood. 
> 
> So no, others in the wizarding world wouldn’t have been outed this way. Harry has never (for the purposes of this story) never had his blood drawn before. Also, please keep in mind he is Tony Stark’s son and lives with the Avengers. While things are going to happen, I can promise Harry will be loved and happy (most of the time).  
> I’m happy to answer any questions, but would also refer back to the A/N in chapter one.

“You know what you need?” His dad asked

“An extra arm?” Harry responded and readjusted his grip on the bags in his hands.

His dad looked at the bags he was carrying, then his own, “You have a point there. Let's have Happy bring the car close and we'll load our bags.”

“Thank goodness.” Harry said and stopped where he was. They waited less than a minute before Happy pulled the car up and they loaded their bags in the trunk.

“You need a pet. Sadly, I'm allergic to dogs and cats and I have never gotten along. Maybe a rabbit?”

A bit stunned at his father declaring he needed a pet, Harry shook his head, “Aunt Petunia really liked rabbit stew.”

“Ah, right. No rabbits.” He looked down at his phone, “Oh, maybe one of those hypoallergenic dogs? This store seems to have some. Happy, take us here.” He pressed a few buttons and the new address came up on the GPS.

“Why- why do I need a pet?” Harry asked. His dad had been buying him more things than he ever thought he could need, and while he was excited at the idea of a pet of his very own, he was still confused why his dad thought he needed one.

“You're a kid, kids need pets, right?”

Harry shrugged, slightly bewildered. How should he know?

“To be perfectly honest, while I am beyond thrilled to have you with me finally, I still have things to do and I won't always be around. I thought maybe getting a pet…” Tony trailed off.

“Dad, I don't expect you to keep me entertained all the time. I can take care of myself.”

“I know that, but I'll still worry. If you don't want a pet, we can-”

“No.” Harry quickly cut him off, “No I want one, you already said I could. I mean, if _you're_ still okay with it?”

His dad laughed, “Let’s go get you a pet.”

The pet store they went to certainly did have a lot of dogs, and Harry took the time to say hi to them all. Then he pet the cats and got distracted by all the brightly colored birds. He watched the way they hopped around, but quickly decided they were a bit too noisy.

“How about a fish?” His dad asked from near the tanks lining the wall. “Wow these are cool. Should we get a saltwater tank? Oh wait, better idea, a _jellyfish_ tank.”

Harry shook his head as his dad started tapping away on his phone, probably already looking into it. If he'd learned anything today, it was that when his dad had an idea, he acted on it immediately.

He continued exploring the store until he found the reptiles and amphibians. He loved the way the chameleons moved, and they had some brightly colored frogs and large toads. The tortoises were eating and he laughed at the way their necks stretched out far to reach their food.  

The large python gave him pause, it was coiled tightly in a ball, partially hiding under a hollow piece of wood. It stirred a bit when he put his hand on the tank, then settled back down. A small movement from the next tank drew his eye. There, in the shavings, a small reddish orange snake moved.

“Well, hello there.” He whispered, face close to the glass.

The snake stopped and turned toward him, it's head tilted. It reminded him of the way dogs would tilt their heads.

“Aren't you beautiful.” He said and laid a finger against the glass. The little snake, which looked small enough to curl up in the palm of his hand, pressed its nose against the glass.

“Looks like you found something.” His father said from right behind him.

Entranced, Harry hardly moved. “Yes.”

“Alright kiddo, I'll get someone to pull it out.”

Harry nodded, his attention back on the snake, “Have you been here long?” he asked it and it shook its head. “Can, can you understand me?” He didn't know much about snakes, but he was pretty sure they didn't usually answer questions by shaking their heads.

This time, the snake nodded and Harry blinked rapidly in surprise, wondering if he should try and talk to one of the other snakes.

“Yes, that one.” His dad said, he was back with one of the store employees.

Harry stepped back and they took the snake out, handing it to him. He marveled at how smooth it was as it slid into his hand. “What kind is it?”

“A corn snake. This one is just a baby.” The woman replied. His dad drew her attention and started talking about what he would need.

As they talked, the little snake had wound its way around his fingers. “Do you have a name?” He asked it and it shook its head again. He admired the reds and oranges of its patterned skin, “What about Magma?”

It flicked its tail then nodded and Harry smiled.

-0-0-0-

Tony stopped when he walked in the door, causing Harry to run into him.

Pepper Potts had joined the others sitting around his living room. When she looked over at him and smiled, he relaxed. They hadn’t parted on the best of terms, and he’d worried how it would go when she came back.

“Dad?” Harry asked from behind him and Tony moved aside.

“Sorry kiddo.” He walked into the living room and greeted everyone. “Harry, you haven’t met Clint Barton or Pepper Potts yet.” Tony pulled Harry up until he was standing in front of him. “Barton, Ms. Potts, this is my son, Harry.”

He introduced Harry to both of them, but his eyes never left Pepper. Of all the things he’d told her about, Harry wasn’t one of them. A look of confusion crossed her face and her eyes met his, before she smiled.

“It’s nice to meet you Harry.” She held out her hand and Harry took it. At that moment, Magma poked her head out from under his sleeve. “Eek!” Pepper pulled away, too startled to keep herself from shrieking. She put a hand to her chest and laughed a bit.

“Sorry, it startled me. Snakes and I aren’t-” she huffed out a breath and sent a pleading look to Tony.

“Hey, why don’t you go get her tank set up and put her in there while we eat?” Tony said, looking down at Harry.

Harry bit his lip, then brought the wrist with his new pet snake close to his face. At this point, if Tony hadn’t been watching, he was sure he would have thought what happened next a joke.

Harry opened his mouth, but instead of words, he began to hiss softly. When he paused, the snake hissed softly back at him before stretching out and rubbing her face against his. Then she curled back around his wrist and hid beneath his sleeve once more.

“She said she’s not ready to go in her tank just yet. She said she’ll stay hidden though, if-if that’s okay with you?” Harry looked hesitantly from Tony to Pepper.

Tony blinked slowly, “Um, sure.” He looked up and was glad to see he wasn’t the only one dumbfounded by what had just happened. Bruce looked as though something had just made sense to him. Tony would ask about it later.

“Were you _talking_ to her?” He finally asked Harry.

Harry nodded then shrugged, “She seems to understand me. And I guess I can understand her.”

“Can you understand any other animals?” Natasha’s face was blank and Tony wondered what she was thinking.

Harry tilted his head to the side in thought, “No… but I get along well with other animals that I’ve met.”

“What about other snakes? Can you understand them?” Steve asked.

“I don’t know. I’ve never spoken to another snake.” Harry looked around at all of them and Tony could see him starting to close up again, “Did I do something wrong?”

Tony turned him and crouched so they were face to face, “Not at all, we were just curious if it was you or the snake. It was like you were speaking another language. Just because _we_ don’t understand the language, doesn’t mean anything is wrong with it.”

Harry’s bright green eyes were wide, “I didn’t know I was speaking a different language.” He confessed.

Tony smiled, “It was pretty cool. Maybe we should look at getting you a tutor that can teach you other languages, you seem to have a knack.” He grinned and Harry returned the smile.

Tony ruffled his son’s hair then stood, “Let’s eat.”

 


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Thanks for your patience when it comes to recent updating. Things have been hectic between medical and moving issues.   
> Starting from this chapter and moving forward we get other character POV’s more often and the story will begin to branch out a bit to include others, though will always return to Harry and Tony.   
> As of right now I have one tentative far in the future pairing, one “official” background pairing and one possible pairing in the near-ish future that I haven’t fully decided on. So, until then, and probably even after the pairings are made, this continue to be marked “gen”.

_Mr. Stark,_

_As you know, you have recently acquired our beloved nephew and taken him into your care. At the time we thought it best he be with his father._

_However, now we find ourselves quite destitute without him. You couldn’t understand the emotional, and financial, hardships that go into raising a child._

_Recently, we’ve seen photos of you and our dear nephew, Harry, on the news. Imagine our delight at knowing he was with such a loving father who would willingly buy him so many new things. Even if he’d come to you with the perfectly good clothing we provided._

_While we are thrilled to know he’s happy, our desolation over losing him remains the same. From such a distance, we cannot hope to see him again. But, perhaps, you’d be willing to help with the financial burden we have fallen under after raising your son for the last nine years?_

_If you’re not able to help, we are more than happy to talk to the news stations. I’m sure they would love to know that after your lover died, you left your own son to the kindness of his struggling Aunt and Uncle._

_Best Regards,_

_Petunia Dursley_

 

Tony stared down at the letter in disbelief. Who did these people think they were? For one, he hadn’t known Lily was pregnant or that he’d had a son until receiving her letter. And even _then_ he’d had almost nothing to go on! Just a picture, their names, and a last known address before they disappeared for a year only for her to resurface in a- in a- and his son! Gone! No trace of where he might be...

Tony snarled and resisted the urge to crumple the letter. Still, the edges crinkled under his fingertips as he held it a little too tightly.

“Stark, Harry’s asking- oh. Is this a bad time?” Natasha knocked twice on the door frame and spoke as she entered. Her eyes flicked to the paper in this hand, then back to his face.

Tony set the letter down quickly, smiled widely as he stood and walked toward her, “It’s never a bad time to see you in my office again. You know if you ever get tired of working for Fury…”

-0-0-0-

Natasha knocked smartly on the plain door of Number 4 Privet Drive. Behind her, Clint shifted and she felt his fingertips brush the fabric of her dress at her lower back. She glanced back to see him standing as stiffly as he smiled. When their eyes met, his crinkled slightly at the corners.

A sound from the other side of the door drew their attention. A long faced woman opened the door. Her peach colored cocktail dress was partially obscured behind a frilly pink apron. She pursed her lips as her sharp gaze took in Natasha’s black dress and high heels. When she looked over at Clint in his suit, her cheeks pinked slightly.

“Can I help you?” She asked, her tone decidedly unhelpful.

“Yes ma’am” Natasha smiled brightly. “We’re with David, David, and Davis, Attorneys at law and we’ve heard you might have some information regarding Tony Stark and his…” Natasha paused and wrinkled her nose briefly in distaste, “son.”

Petunia Dursley blinked rapidly. “And if we did?”

“Ma’am, we’re in the business of making sure people get what they deserve.” Clint said with his most winning smile.

Petunia licked her lips and smiled widely then stepped back and opened the door fully. “Please, come in. Vernon, dear, we have company.” She called over her shoulder.

Natasha and Clint exchanged a brief look before they stepped in. Petunia took off her apron and led them into the sitting room where they encountered a large beefy man.

“Who’re you?” He grunted, barely glancing at Clint, but his gaze lingered on Natasha.

She smiled sweetly back at him and sat primly across from him, Clint settling next her. “We’re with David, David, and Davis. A letter you sent Mr. Stark was brought to our attention.”  She pulled a piece of paper from the file she was holding and presented it to them, “This is a copy of the letter we believe you sent Mr. Stark. Is that correct?”

Petunia leaned forward and gingerly took the paper. She looked it over before nodding. “This is the letter we sent.”

“Just to be clear- this is the letter you, Petunia and Vernon Dursley, sent Mr. Tony Stark, is that correct?”

Petunia nodded again, “It is.”

“Wonderful!” Natasha smiled sweetly. “As I’m sure you can imagine, we’d like to settle this outside of court.” She tapped the folder in her lap. “This is our offer. It’s rather generous, if I do say so myself.”

“It bloody well better be! We took care of his bastard for nine years! We deserve something for that. He wasn’t an easy child I’ll have you know. The little freak was just like his mother.” Vernon gestured widely with one hand and his face became steadily redder with each word. “All that magic mumbo jumbo. We tried, goodness knows we tried to stomp it out of him-”

“Thank you, Mr. Dursley.” Natasha said, her smile still in place. Beside her, Clint had stiffened when Vernon Dursley mentioned ‘magic’ and she wondered if he was thinking about Loki. She leaned forward in her seat and held the folder out to the Dursley’s. “Would you like to see the offer?”

Vernon snatched the folder from her hands and Petunia leaned in close so she could read it as well. Natasha held back her first genuine smile as their faces paled.

“What’s- what’s this?” Petunia asked, her eyes wide.

“Our offer.” Natasha’s voice was cold and so were her eyes as she looked at the odious couple before her. “You agree never to come near Harry or try to contact either him or Tony Stark, and we let you know that the CEO of Grunnings was handed this same file as we walked through your door. I don’t think he’ll be quite as understanding when it comes to embezzlement as we are.”

“This is falsified! You can’t prove anything!” Vernon surged to his feet and towered over the two agents. He looked back and forth between them, his beady eyes finally settled on Clint.

“I’m not the one you need to be worried about buddy.” Clint said with a grin and leaned back, putting his arms behind his head as he did so.

Natasha stood slowly as Vernon turned to look at her. “All traces of Harry being connected to you, not that there were many, have vanished. You really should have used an offshore account for those funds, much harder to trace.”

Natasha nodded at Clint and he stood to join her. As one. They turned to leave.

“You-you- this isn’t over!” Vernon shouted and grabbed Natasha by the arm. She grinned at Clint before turning quickly and punching Vernon. His nose crunched and gave way under her fist and her smile widened.

He let go with a howl and backed away from her. Petunia has backed away as far as the couch had allowed and was pressed against the back, her mouth open in silent horror as she looked between her husband, the folder that had landed partially open on the floor, and Natasha.

“That, was for Harry.” Natasha told them then waved a hand at the folder, “and that’s _much_ better than what you deserve. Don’t contact us again.”

-0-0-0-

Pepper smiled as she watched Harry and Tony on the couch. They were playing some racing video game and occasionally bumping shoulders good naturedly and just... _relaxing._

She bit her lip as the backs of her eyes began to sting. He was _happy._ Pepper couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him look so happy. There had maybe been glimpses of this man while they were together, but never this. And, she realized, _she_ was happy to see him this way. Learning of Harry had been a shock at first, seeing them together now, it was obvious he belonged here, with his family.

“He still loves you, you know.”

Pepper jumped a little as Natasha spoke from close behind her. With a small smirk, she moved until they were standing side-by-side. “Natasha! I didn’t hear you come in, are you in your gear? Why?”

Natasha looked away toward Harry and Tony. “Just taking care of a little business.” She turned back to Pepper, “And it’s true.”

“I know,” she said softly, “and I still love him. I’ll probably always love him, in a way.” She looked away from Natasha’s all too perceptive stare.

“He has his son back now. That changes things.” Natasha said, still watching Pepper intently.

“It wouldn’t be fair to either of us if we get back together because he has a child now.” Pepper darted a glance at Natasha, then looked away again. “I left because my body literally cannot take him being Iron Man and,” she held up a hand, “no. I know he says he’s technically _not_ anymore. But he can’t just shut that part of himself off. Did you know I was seeing three different therapists and taking… so many pills just to help me sleep through the night while with him? The worry was eating me alive.” She looked over at Tony, face soft and eyes fond. “This is for the best.”

Natasha looked at her for a long moment before she nodded in understanding and joined Harry and Tony in the couch. Pepper watched the three of them laugh and if her smile fell a little, well, she was the only one who saw.

  



	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Thank you everyone for sticking with me and reading this. The response has been… beyond what I could have imagined. Thank you.   
> This will continue to be labeled as “drabble” because some chapters will be shorter than others. I’m not sure which chapters, but they might be there… somewhere.

March faded into April and Harry had settled into a routine. School in the morning, working with his dad in the labs or hanging with whoever was in residence in the afternoon. Currently, Harry was happily sitting with Steve while they talked and doodled the afternoon away. He’d had a history lesson that morning, but Steve always managed to make it sound more fascinating than his teacher could. Probably because he had lived through some of the more important parts of it.

“You did not punch Hitler.” Harry said as he colored in his motorcycle. Mags unwrapped from his wrist just enough to flick her tongue in the air over his paper before curling back up. He and his dad had been working on blueprints and designs for a couple weeks, but nothing had seemed quite right yet. He had a feeling his dad didn’t normally work so slowly, but he didn’t seem to mind taking longer and teaching Harry.

“I did too. Almost two hundred times.” Steve told him. His pencil made quiet scratching noises as it moved across the page.

Harry rolled his eyes and looked up at him, “I saw the movie reels. My teacher _always_ seems to show movies with you in them. I think he has a crush on you.”

Steve chuckled, “Always? I thought you just started on World War II?” The small quick strokes told Harry he was probably shading something in.

“We did. But I think he’s shown a hundred movie, show, things that starred you.” Harry finished coloring in his motorcycle.

“What are you working on over there?” Steve asked him. Harry turned his picture around so Steve could see it. The first time Steve had caught him doodling and asked to see it, Harry had been nervous. Now, he enjoyed the time he spent drawing and sharing with Steve.

Steve looked at the picture for a long time, an odd smile on his face. It was the same one Harry had seen before when he was talking about the past. Both happy and sad, a _nostalgic_ sort of smile. “You remind me a lot of your grandfather sometimes.” Steve finally said. “Did I tell you about the first time I ever saw him?” Harry shook his head and set his picture back down. Steve began working on his again as he talked, “It was at a science expo I went to with a buddy of mine. Before I joined the army. He was up on stage with this hovering car and telling us about flying cars of the future.”

Entranced, Harry leaned forward, eager to hear more. “It worked!?”

Steve laughed, “For a few seconds. Then it fell and I’m pretty sure it broke the stage.” He used his finger to smudge whatever he’d been working on a bit. “Still, we were all amazed. It was far more advanced than anything we’d even considered at the time. Your drawing reminded me of the car.”

Harry looked back down at his drawing in a new light. _Was_ he more like his father and grandfather than he’d previously realized? A new picture slid into his view and he gasped. It had three people standing close together, looking out of the page. One was obviously Harry and the other his dad, but the third… “Is that him?”

Steve nodded, “At least that’s how I remember him.”

Harry traced the lines of his family with his eyes. His hand hovered over the image of his dad, wanting to touch it, but not wanting to smear the pencil.

“It’s for you.” Steve told him, “I thought,” he paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought you might like it.”

Harry jumped out of his chair and threw his arms around Steve in a hug. “You’re the best Uncle Steve! It’s like having my very own family portrait!” Harry grabbed the picture, “I’m going to show dad!”

Steve stayed in his seat, bemused and giddy about Harry calling him ‘Uncle.’

-0-0-0-

His dad hadn’t been in the lab like he usually was during this time of day. So Harry had asked JARVIS, who had directed him to this place. It was somewhere he hadn’t explored yet, but he wasn’t too surprised. The Tower was huge and he spent most of his time in the penthouse or in the lab anyways.  Harry glanced back down at the picture, he had crinkled the edges a bit in his mad dash to find his father, but once he put it in a frame, it would smooth out.

Still smiling, Harry opened the door, and saw red.

His dad was fighting off an attacker. Someone who was easily twice his dad's height and weight. Harry took a step toward them, to do what, he didn’t know. He just knew he had to do _something._ Just then, they fell and the man used his foot to push his dad over his head, throwing him across the room.

 _“NOOOO!”_ Harry yelled and threw the hand Mags was wrapped around out toward his dad, the other hand he directed at the man who had been attacking his father. The picture he had been holding fluttered to the floor. Slowly, his father descended. When he was back on his feet, Harry released him from _whatever_ it was he was doing and focused on the unknown man. “Don’t hurt my dad.” Harry heard himself say as if from far away and the man began to slowly ascend.

Tony was in shock.  He been flying through the air, tossed like some novice, when he’d suddenly – stopped. He’d heard someone yelling as he was on his way to collide with the floor, but now the room was dead silent, and not in a good way.  Shaking himself out of his brief shock, Tony turned to see his son, and every agent in the room focused on him and the man he seemed to be levitating.  “Shit.”

In a few quick strides, Tony was next to his son.  He wanted to touch him, assure him that everything was okay, but he didn’t want to break Harry’s concentration either.  

“Harry. Kiddo. I’m okay. I’m alright kiddo. Harry, I’m alright. You can let the man down.” Tony said, trying to reach his son who was solely focused on the man he was lifting higher and higher.

“Dad?” The fear in Harry’s voice almost broke Tony’s heart. The fear on everyone else’s face he’d deal with later.

“Hey kiddo. I’m right here. You can let him down now.”

Harry giggled nervously and a look of panic stole over his face, “I don’t know how.”

Tony scrunched his nose, “How did you get him up there?”

“I don’t know.” Harry’s voice was starting to sound as panicked as he looked. His eyes cut to him and in his peripheral, Tony saw the man drop.

“Get him!” Someone yelled and multiple agents moved to catch the falling man.

Harry jumped and moved closer to Tony, bending over to pick up the paper he had dropped. Tony wrapped him in a hug and held on tightly as Harry trembled slightly in his arms.

“He was hurting you. I just want you to be okay. I don’t want you to get hurt. I can’t-” Harry stopped talking and buried his face further into Tony’s chest.

Tony held on and rubbed soothing circles in his back, “It’s okay. I’m okay. I’m not going anywhere. Everything will be okay.”

 Harry sniffed and pulled back a little, his normally bright green eyes were brighter as he looked up at him. “I just wanted to show you a picture Uncle Steve drew me.”

He smiled a bit and chuckled softly, “Uncle Steve, huh?”

Harry nodded and shrugged at the same time.

“Stark!” A loud voice drew their attention and Tony scowled as the last person he wanted to talk to just then walked up, his good eye trained on Harry.

“Are you going to introduce us Stark?” Director Fury asked.

Tony debated on just taking Harry out of there, but knew Fury wouldn’t let it go. Not now. “Harry, this is Director Fury.”

-0-0-0-

“Absolutely not.” Tony said as he paced. Fury and Agent Hill sat at the front of the room, the other Avengers sat around the table and all were watching him.

“He almost took out one of my agents and stopped you in midair because he _thought_ you were in danger.” Fury leaned back in his chair and Tony wanted to push him over.

“That doesn’t mean you can take him and make him some sort of- sort of _lab rat!”_

Fury sighed, “That’s not what I’m suggesting. I’m _saying_ we need to get a better idea of what he can do. Until then, he poses a thre-”

“My son is not a threat.” Tony whirled around and faced Director Fury, his hands clenched tightly into fists.

“Tony,” Steve moved to stand next to him, “We’re not going to let anything happen to Harry.” He said, his voice low. Louder he said, “Harry isn’t a threat. He’s a good kid.”

“What better place to watch an enhanced child, than in a tower built for enhanced individuals?” Natasha added and exchanged a look with Clint. Tony filed the look away to talk to them about later.

“Even if he stays here, he needs to be trained. Taught control. I won’t have him tossing my agents around anytime he gets upset.” He stood and Agent Hill copied his movement. “Figure it out Stark, or I will.”

They left and Tony let out a noisy breath and rubbed at his chest. “Fuck.”

“What are we going to do?” Clint asked.

“Does anyone have any ideas?” Bruce said and caught his eye. Tony was painfully aware of the conversation they’d had after Harry had talked to his snake for the first time.

Tony scrubbed a hand down his face. The idea he’d kept in the back of his mind suddenly pushing its way to the forefront. “I have one, but you’re probably not going to like it.” When they said nothing, he continued, “Does anyone know how to contact Thor?”

 


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> I know, weird day for an update, but between moving and other things, my weekends have been busy.

“Please, father. I believe it would be good for him.” Thor knelt before the All-Father’s throne, in a position of supplication, as he plead his companions’ case.

“Why?” Odin looked down on him, his face impassive.

“My brother lacks purpose. When left to his own devices, he makes mischief. Teaching the Man of Iron’s young son will keep him occupied. He’s always enjoyed his magic.” Thor looked up briefly, when his father didn’t say anything, he continued, “The other Avengers, myself included, will watch over my brother.”

-0-0-0-

Loki had grown tired of his imprisonment long ago. His magic tricks had kept him entertained for some time, but without his books or journals, he’d grown bored. Recently, he hadn’t even had visitors to distract him from the tediousness. So, when his brother stopped in front of his cell, Loki felt a pleased smile curl the corners of his lips. “Why are you here? Come to see your fallen brother?”

Thor ignored his question, “I have a challenge for you brother.”

Loki smirked, “You forget yourself. I don’t care for challenges.”

“This one you will.” Their promised.

“And why is that?” Loki stood and moved closer to Thor.

“The Avengers require someone who knows the magical arts. One who can teach.” Thor paused, “They requested you and father has agreed.”

Loki hid his surprise with a laugh, “Me? Surely I was not the first choice?” Thor remained silent. “Perhaps I was the _only_ choice?” More silence. Loki laughed again, “And why, pray tell, do they need a magic user? Who had acquired the power? The spangled one perhaps? Or the spider woman?”

“Iron Man has recently… reacquired his son. The son appears to have powers.” Loki tilted his head, curious and Thor went on, “He can talk to snakes and move people, that we know of so far. If you agree to teach him, you will be released from this prison and join us at the Avengers Tower.”

Loki smiled wider, showing more teeth than necessary. “Sounds like fun, brother. When do I start?”

-0-0-0-

“Stark, this isn’t a good idea.” Steve said from beside him.

“Yeah, well, you’re probably not wrong. But I don't happen to know anyone else with… magic or whatever it is Harry can do. Do you?” Tony asked and arched a brow.

Steve bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head. No, he didn’t know anyone else. Fury might have, but anyone he would offer to have train Harry would be _his_ agent and report to Fury only. At least with Loki… He shook his head, not quite believing he was going to make a case - even if it was only to himself -  on why Loki was better than one of Director Fury’s agents.

“Where is Harry?” He finally asked.

“With Bruce.” Tony looked back into the penthouse.

Steve followed his gaze. Harry wasn’t there, but he hadn’t really expected him to be.

“Made sense from a tactical standpoint.” Tony continued, meeting Steve’s questioning gaze, “Live with soldiers and assassins long enough, you pick up a few things.”

Steve smiled, “Still…”

“Thor thought it would work.” Tony said, sounding defensive.

Steve sighed, “Thor, good man as he is, wants to spend more time on Earth, with Jane. This would give him a reason to stay.”

“Works for me. Easier to get ahold of him if he’s in the same building.” Tony shrugged. “Wait, shit. Do you think they’ll leave that weird pattern on my roof?”

Steve chuckled, and looked to the sky where dark clouds were already gathering. “A little late to worry about that now.”

“Here we go.” Tony said quietly to himself, hoping this was the right choice and he wasn’t about to put Harry in terrible danger. Thor had seemed convinced that Loki was different and _more like his old self!,_ but Tony still remembered the madman who had tried to take over the Earth and his Tower. He didn’t have time to think about it any further as the Bifrost Bridge touched down and delivered the two men they had been waiting on.

Steve had already begun to walk toward them and Tony followed. Thor had already begun surveying the area as he greeted Steve warmly, but Loki’s gaze was focused on something just over Tony’s shoulder. Worried that Harry may have come up, even though he had asked him to stay below, Tony glanced over his shoulder too. To his relief, no one was standing at the window.  When he turned back to The Asgardians, Loki was smiling at him.

“Thor, Reindeer Games” Tony greeted them each in turn. “You’re looking… healthier. Did the dungeons agree with you?” Tony asked as he studied the dark-haired man curiously. Loki _did_ look better, well fed and less… Tony shook his head as he thought of the way he’d looked after escaping the desert.

Loki chuckled, “Even the dungeons of Asgard are a paradise when compared to some of the places I’ve been.” He said with a pointed look at the Avengers Tower.

Tony opened his mouth to reply to the slight, but Loki smiled wider and continued before Tony could say anything, “So, where is my new…student?”

 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> Thank you for your patience. Things are settling back down, so I should be able to update more regularly.

Harry sat between Steve and his father with Nat and Bruce at his back. He had no doubt Clint was around somewhere, most likely somewhere high where he could keep an eye on their new… guests. Everyone around him seemed nervous and on edge, but the two men across from him appeared relaxed. The blonde one even had his arms spread along the top of the couch as if he had been there before. And, Harry supposed, he most likely had. In fact, Harry was almost positive this was Thor, the rather elusive Avenger. The other man, who, by default, must have been Loki, also looked relaxed. But to Harry, his relaxed posed looked more forced, as if he were putting on an act for the gathered team, and seemed to be studying one of Steve’s paintings that his father had hung up.  

“It is good to be back.” Thor said and smiled widely at them all, stopping at Harry. “And you must be Stark’s son, the mage!”

Before Harry could answer, his dad cut him off, “We don’t know for sure that he’s a mage just yet.”

Loki turned his head slowly to look first at Tony, then his bright green eyes landed on Harry. Harry met his eyes steadily, not willing to be the one to back down from, what he felt was, some sort of test. When Loki slowly blinked then grinned, Harry couldn’t help but beam, confident he passed the unspoken challenge. “If he’s _not_ a mage, then why am I here?”

“You’re here to see if he is a- a mage and then teach him if he is.” Steve said before anyone else could.

“Well, then I suppose I had better find suitable quarters then. I presume my… brother already has a room?” Loki said and stood gracefully.

“He does, but what does that have to do with you finding a room?” Tony asked, he had one hand on Harry’s knee and Steve had an arm around Harry’s shoulders, keeping him seated between them. “Does this mean he is? How can you tell?”

“Anyone with a modicum of talent can tell the boy is magical just by looking at him. Which means I will be gracing your presence for quite some time.” Loki smirked at his father, nodded at Harry, then turned to Thor. “Show me your chambers. They will do until a more permanent arrangement can be made.” he finished and stood expectantly.

“You may have the guest room, but I’ll not let you take over my chambers. Stark designed those for _me.”_ Thor told him and stood as well. Harry could hear their continued bickering until they disappeared into the elevator with a swish of their cloaks.

“Hell. This is going to be hell.” Tony said.

“You don’t know that. It’s only the first day. Maybe, maybe it won’t be so bad? How much trouble can he get into with all of us watching him?” Steve asked and Tony blanched.

“Watch Harry, I need to lock down the labs.”

Harry watched his father leave, he knew they were tense after the whole ‘Battle of New York’, thing but he couldn’t keep the smile from his face.

“What are you so happy about, bud?” Steve asked and even Nat and Bruce turned to look at him.

Harry’s smile widened. “I like him.”

-0-0-0-

Dumbledore looked up from the parchment he was making notes on as the owl entered his study well after midnight. The tawny owl flew gracefully through his open window and landed less than gracefully on his desk. It wasn’t an owl he had seen before and his curiosity piqued   “Who are you from?” he asked as the owl held out its leg. A small piece of parchment was tied there with a bit of yarn.

The owl hooted and tried to hop closer to him on one leg. Dumbledore chuckled and reached for the letter, “Don’t strain yourself, I’ll get it, I’ll get it.”

The owl hooted again as Dumbledore removed the letter, taking off once it’s leg was free of the small roll of parchment. “Hmm, no reply needed then? I wonder…” He trailed off and opened the note. As he read the hastily scrawled words, his bright blue eyes widened behind his half-moon spectacles. The parchment gently floated down onto his desk, but Dumbledore was already long gone.

On the note were three hastily scrawled words: _Harry is missing._


	16. Chapter 16

Harry woke suddenly and looked around his room in a panic. The light from the city outside his window threw shadows into sharp relief against his walls. He looked around, blanket clutched to his chest as he tried to figure out what had woken him. When nothing jumped out at him, his heart rate began to slow down to a normal pace. That’s when he heard it.

“No, wait!” His dad shouted, and Harry was up and running toward him before he could even think it through. His dad started gasping and Harry followed the sound into the living room where his dad was laying on the couch, one hand clutching his chest as he tossed about, almost falling off.

 “Dad!” Harry called out and ran to him. He fell to his knees and shook his dads much larger frame. “Dad! Dad, wake up! You’re dreaming.”

His dad inhaled noisily, gasping for air and Harry shook him harder, putting all his weight into waking his dad. “Dad, _please!”_ Harry cried out, not noticing the tears sliding down his cheeks. “Wake up!”

With another loud gasp, his dad opened his eyes and began looking around wildly, not seeing anything in front of him. “Oh god.” He closed his eyes and clutched at his chest again, just above the circular scar Harry knew came from the arc reactor that had been in his chest. “Oh god.” He breathed out again.

Harry swallowed thickly and opened his mouth, “Dad?” His voice was hardly more than a croak from his fear tightened throat.

“Harry?” His dad finally looked over at him, “Are you crying?”

Harry wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I don’t, I was worried. You wouldn't wake up.”

His dad leaned forward and wrapped Harry in a hug, pulling him onto the couch. “I’m sorry. It was just a nightmare. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Harry nodded, squeezed his eyes shut, and held his dad as tight as he could. “I have nightmares too sometimes.” He whispered.

His dad rubbed his back then set Harry down next to him. “Well, since we’re both up, why don’t we watch a movie?”

Harry nodded and leaned into his dad, not noticing the worry and fear on his father's face.

-0-0-0-

Tony looked over at the couch where Harry was still sleeping. He hadn’t gone back to sleep after waking from his nightmare, but Harry hadn’t made it 20 minutes into the movie before he was nodding off. He had considered carrying Harry back to his room, but every time he tried to move, he couldn’t quite make himself give up the company, even if he was sleeping.

“That’s an awfully serious face you’ve got for so early in the morning.” Natasha said as she strolled in.

Tony placed a finger to his lips and jerked his head to where Harry was sleeping. She nodded and padded her way to him on silent bare feet.

“Have a campout last night?” Her tone was light, but her eyes were serious as she studied his face.

Tony chewed his bottom lip, unsure if he should tell her everything or not. When he met her eyes and tried to smile, she narrowed her own. “What happened, Tony?”

He sighed, “Fell asleep on the couch. Had a bad dream, that’s all. Harry heard me and we watched movies.” He shrugged. “Coffee?” He asked and held a cup full cup out to her.

Nat took the cup and stared into the dark brew silently. Tony made himself a cup before leaning back against the counter and looking over at Harry again. Maybe they needed a day off. All of them.

“What was your dream about?” She asked, breaking the silence that had settled around them.

Tony took a sip of his coffee, “New York.”

She hummed in understanding. “It was a long day.”

“I haven’t dreamt about it in that much detail in a while.” He continued, “I know we won, but now he’s back and I know, I _know_ , what Thor said, and I know that we can take him down, but-” he stopped suddenly when Harry stirred.  They both watched and waited as Harry turned onto his stomach, then settled back down to sleep. “I don’t want to go through that again.” Tony finally confessed, his words no louder than a sigh.

Caught up in his thoughts, Tony didn’t notice when Natasha stood and moved around the counter to him. He startled a bit when she wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her forehead against his back. “You’ll be safe. _Harry_ will be safe. You know we all care about you. We won’t let anything happen.”

Tony nodded and placed a hand over hers in a silent thank you and stared out the window, not really seeing anything as he contemplated the day ahead.

 


End file.
